Maharashtra BJP chief Devendra Fadnavis (left)
Mumbai:
Devendra Fadnavis is watching the elections results in a small unassuming room in a hostel for legislators that he says has been home in Mumbai for some years now. Will he have a new posh address soon as the next chief minister of Maharashtra?
His supporters have had the catchy slogan "Narendra in Delhi, Devendra in Maharashtra" in circulation for months and today hope it will become reality. Bouquets have been sent to him spelling CM as he has emerged as the most likely candidate to carry forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise of big development and good governance in Maharashtra, which was ruled by the Congress-NCP alliance for the last 15 years.
But multiple attempts to get him to admit he is in the running for the top post come to naught, as the 44-year-old sips tea from a humble glass tumbler. He resolutely says that the party leadership will decide once results are known.
"Have got no indications yet on who will be chief minister, BJP parliamentary board will decide," Mr Fadnavis told NDTV.
On television, election analysts predict that his party, the BJP, will be the single largest party in the state.
The party did not project a chief ministerial face and crafted its campaign around PM Narendra Modi and his development pitch. Mr Fadnavis credits the BJP's performance today to the Prime Minister and party chief Amit Shah. "PM Modi's charisma has worked, Amit Shah camped here, empowered us and ensured accountability," he says, insisting that the party will get a majority on its own in Maharashtra.
So saying, he also keeps doors open, describing the Shiv Sena, with which his party split less than a month ago, as, "not our political opponent."
There has been much speculation on the partners mending fences to form government, should the BJP fall short of a majority. The Shiv Sena has hinted it is open to the idea.
Sources say the young Brahmin leader is backed by the BJP's ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and is a party favourite because of his clean image and wide acceptability. Mr Fadnavis is also seen as a "new-age leader" in BJP's largely jaded line-up in Maharashtra - a big plus in Mr Modi's book.
The BJP is seen to lack a prominent face in Maharashtra since the death of Gopinath Munde in a car crash in June. Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who addressed some 100 rallies in the state, had denied speculation that he was the chief ministerial pick.
His supporters have had the catchy slogan "Narendra in Delhi, Devendra in Maharashtra" in circulation for months and today hope it will become reality. Bouquets have been sent to him spelling CM as he has emerged as the most likely candidate to carry forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise of big development and good governance in Maharashtra, which was ruled by the Congress-NCP alliance for the last 15 years.
But multiple attempts to get him to admit he is in the running for the top post come to naught, as the 44-year-old sips tea from a humble glass tumbler. He resolutely says that the party leadership will decide once results are known.
"Have got no indications yet on who will be chief minister, BJP parliamentary board will decide," Mr Fadnavis told NDTV.
On television, election analysts predict that his party, the BJP, will be the single largest party in the state.
The party did not project a chief ministerial face and crafted its campaign around PM Narendra Modi and his development pitch. Mr Fadnavis credits the BJP's performance today to the Prime Minister and party chief Amit Shah. "PM Modi's charisma has worked, Amit Shah camped here, empowered us and ensured accountability," he says, insisting that the party will get a majority on its own in Maharashtra.
So saying, he also keeps doors open, describing the Shiv Sena, with which his party split less than a month ago, as, "not our political opponent."
There has been much speculation on the partners mending fences to form government, should the BJP fall short of a majority. The Shiv Sena has hinted it is open to the idea.
Sources say the young Brahmin leader is backed by the BJP's ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and is a party favourite because of his clean image and wide acceptability. Mr Fadnavis is also seen as a "new-age leader" in BJP's largely jaded line-up in Maharashtra - a big plus in Mr Modi's book.
The BJP is seen to lack a prominent face in Maharashtra since the death of Gopinath Munde in a car crash in June. Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who addressed some 100 rallies in the state, had denied speculation that he was the chief ministerial pick.
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